In Memoriam: UTSA mourns loss of accounting professor Pamela Smith

Pamela C. Smith received the Endowed 1969 Commemorative Faculty Award for Overall Faculty Excellence twice during her time with the Carlos Alvarez College of Business.

AUGUST 7, 2023 — Pamela C. Smith, associate dean of administration and professor of accounting in the UTSA Carlos Alvarez College of Business (ACOB) died on August 2 following a chronic health battle. She was 52.

“A long-time accounting faculty member, Pamela was instrumental in leading the college’s most recent AACSB [Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business] reaccreditation,” said Jonathon Halbesleben, dean of the college. “Many students, faculty and staff were touched in positive ways by her work. I am forever appreciative of her support when I joined the college last year.”

A dedicated administrator, faculty member and colleague, Smith’s 22-year career at UTSA included stints serving as interim dean of the ACOB from 2021 to 2022; associate dean of administration and faculty from 2019 to 2023; and associate dean for graduate studies from 2016 to 2019.

“She was a unique soul who exuded positivity.”

As a leader, she valued innovation and wasn’t afraid of change. She built the foundation for numerous programs within the college. In addition to her work with AACSB reaccreditation, she established the Dean’s Fellows program for faculty, developed the Graduate Business Student Commons and spearheaded development of the ACOB Student Success Center.

But, more importantly, Smith had a passion for promoting causes that increased diversity within higher education. As a faculty mentor for the Ph.D. Project, an organization that works to encourage diversity in business school faculty, she encouraged the college’s doctoral students to engage with this organization and led the college’s participation.  She actively mentored young faculty and administrators within the ACOB and served as a role model as a female African American administrator. Smith was also a faculty coordinator for the college’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

“Pamela had an exceptional record of service, and her ability to navigate challenging administrative tasks was unprecedented,” said Sharad Asthana, chair of the UTSA Department of Accounting. “She was a unique soul who exuded positivity. She will truly be missed in both our accounting department as well as the college and at UTSA.”

As an academic, she taught federal income tax at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Smith sought to inspire her students and to prepare them for success within the accounting profession. Prior to joining academia, she began her tax career with Arthur Andersen & Co. in Washington, D.C.

A high-performing faculty member, her research focused on how tax policy impacts decision-making within the nonprofit healthcare field, and she published numerous articles in tax and specialized health care journals.

In honor of her accomplishments, Smith received the college’s Endowed 1969 Commemorative Faculty Award for Overall Faculty Excellence in 2008, and again earlier this year. In 2010, she received the Dean’s Excellence Award in Community Service.

She was also a member of several professional organizations including the American Accounting Association, the American Taxation Association and the National Association of Black Accountants. Utilizing her talents, she gave back to the San Antonio community as a member of the Scleroderma Foundation and volunteered with the Boys & Girls Club and Seton Home.

Smith earned her Ph.D. and master’s in accounting from Virginia Tech and her bachelor’s in accounting from the University of Virginia.

Visitation services will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, August 25 at the Lewis Funeral Home. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 26 at Calvary Baptist Church. Visit the Lewis Funeral Home website for further details.

— Wendy Frost